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Morgan City, LA

29°42.0′ N 91°12.6′ W

Port ApproachPort Facilities & Contacts

Port Overview

Local Marine Weather

Live data

GMZ455 — Coastal waters from Lower Atchafalaya River to Intracoastal City LA out 20 NM

Forecast office: NWS Lake Charles, LA

  • Tonight

    Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots with gusts up to 20 knots. Seas around 2 feet. Wave Detail: Southeast 2 feet at 3 seconds.

  • Tuesday

    Southeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas around 2 feet. Wave Detail: Southeast 1 foot at 3 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

  • Tuesday Night

    South winds around 5 knots, becoming west after midnight. Seas 1 foot or less. A slight chance of showers in the evening, then a chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight.

Source: NOAA / National Weather Service · Issued Mon, Nov 2, 14:09 · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 21:47

Full NWS marine forecast (opens in new tab)

Nearby Tide Stations

Source: NOAA CO-OPS · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 21:47

Nearby Current Stations

Source: NOAA CO-OPS · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 21:47

Nearby NOAA/NDBC Stations

  • tesl18764044 - Tesoro Marine Terminal, Berwick, Atchafalaya River, LA2 NM6 kt
  • amrl18764227 - LAWMA, Amerada Pass, LA16 NM6 kt
  • einl18764314 - North of Eugene Island, LA22 NM17 kt
  • frwl18766072 - Freshwater Canal Locks, LA58 NM12 kt

Source: NOAA NDBC · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 21:39

Salinity — USGS Water Quality

Live data

Readings are from the gauge location, which may differ from conditions at the port. Provisional USGS data are subject to revision. Conductivity is shown as reported and is not converted to salinity.

Source: USGS National Water Information System · Last retrieved Mon, Nov 2, 21:28

USGS Water Data (opens in new tab)

Navigation Resources

  • NOAA Coast Pilot

    Official external resource

    Official sailing directions for Gulf ports are published in NOAA Coast Pilot. Port-specific excerpts are not yet shown in this app.

    NOAA Coast Pilot (opens in new tab)

  • USCG Information

    Official external resource

    Port conditions and Captain of the Port information are not yet connected. Broadcast and safety notices are published by the USCG Navigation Center.

    USCG NAVCEN — Maritime Safety Information (opens in new tab)

  • Notices to Mariners

    Official external resource

    Local Notices to Mariners for Morgan City are published by the Coast Guard Navigation Center. Not ingested by this app.

    USCG NAVCEN — Local Notices to Mariners (opens in new tab)

  • Pilotage Information

    Source not yet connected

    Pilotage information source not yet connected.

  • Port Authority

    Source not yet connected

    No official port authority page could be verified. Link not shown.

Port Approach — Atchafalaya Bay Ship Channel & Berwick Bay

Planning reference only. Consult current official charts, notices, surveys, and pilot instructions before navigation.

STATIC REFERENCE — not live data. Live observations are in Port Overview above.

A · Entrance & Approach

  • Enter Atchafalaya Bay through the Atchafalaya Pass Safety Fairway. The bay is full of shoals and oyster reefs, with general depths of 3 to 9 feet.[¶213, ¶216 · 33 CFR 166]

  • Atchafalaya Bay Ship Channel runs northeast from the Gulf to near the mouth of the Lower Atchafalaya River, marked by lights and buoys. Point au Fer Reef Light marks the cut through Point au Fer Shell Reef.[¶218–219]

  • Port location

    Port of Morgan City lies at the confluence of the Atchafalaya River and the Intracoastal Waterway, about 35 miles from deep water in the Gulf.[¶242]

  • COLREGS line

    Lines for Atchafalaya Bay are in 33 CFR 80.835.[¶215]

Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

B · Channels & Depth

Project depth ≠ available depth. Federal project (authorized) depths below are design figures. Current controlling depth not confirmed. Consult the latest USACE surveys and official notices.

  • Atchafalaya Bay Ship Channel

    Federal project 20 feet deep by 400 feet wide from the Gulf 20-foot contour, continuing into the mouth of the Lower Atchafalaya River (authorized dimensions). The Coast Pilot refers mariners to Notices to Mariners and the latest charts for controlling depths.[¶218]

  • Berwick Bay bridges

    Southern Pacific railroad vertical lift bridge: 4 feet down / 73 feet up; bridgetender on VHF-FM 13, call sign KW-4440. U.S. 90 fixed highway bridges: 73 and 50 feet clearance.[¶237]

  • Current controlling depth not confirmed. Consult the latest USACE surveys and official notices.
Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

C · Cautions & Restrictions

  • Point au Fer cut

    Strong currents occur in the channel through Point au Fer Shell Reef, especially with north winds and extreme low tides.[¶219]

  • Berwick Bay VTS

    The Coast Guard operates VTS Berwick Bay (communications network, reporting points and a Vessel Traffic Center) to coordinate traffic through the bridges. VTC recommendations are advisory, but reporting compliance is required.[¶238–241 · 33 CFR 161]

  • Check current Local Notices to Mariners and Sector New Orleans MSIBs for active restrictions and high-water advisories.
Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

D · Anchorages

  • No designated anchorage for Morgan City is described in the reviewed Coast Pilot paragraphs. Consult Coast Pilot 5 Ch. 9 and 33 CFR 110 Subpart B.
Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

E · Pilotage

  • No pilot organization contact is published in the cited source for this port.
  • The reviewed Coast Pilot paragraphs for Atchafalaya Bay and Morgan City do not publish a pilot organization, phone or boarding point. Confirm pilotage arrangements through your agent and the full Coast Pilot chapter.
Sources (1) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

F · USCG / Captain of the Port

Routine contact · USCG Heartland District

Sector New Orleans

COTP: Captain of the Port, New Orleans (zone per 33 CFR 3.40-15)

Local unit: Marine Safety Unit Morgan City

200 Hendee Street, New Orleans, LA 70114

504-365-2200(Sector New Orleans main line)

Coast Pilot 5 App. A ¶64 · 33 CFR 3.40-15

Emergency

Maritime distress: VHF-FM Channel 16 / DSC Channel 70. The Sector office line above is for routine business.

  • VTS

    The Coast Guard operates Vessel Traffic Service Berwick Bay.[Ch. 9 ¶238]

  • A direct public phone and VHF working channel for VTS Berwick Bay and MSU Morgan City were not confirmed in the reviewed paragraphs.
Sources (2) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

G · Reference Positions

Orientation only — not for navigation

  • No point positions for the Morgan City approach are published in the reviewed paragraphs. Use the current ENC and Light List.

Coordinates reproduced with the source's precision. Coast Pilot positions are referenced to NAD 83 unless stated otherwise.

H · Official Navigation & Conditions Links

Sources (2) · static reference

“Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.

Port Facilities & Contacts

Port Authority & Public Contacts

  • Port of Morgan City

    Port limits cover the east quarter of St. Mary Parish from 91°17.4′W. to Bayous Boeuf and Chene, and from Sixmile Lake to the mouth of the Atchafalaya River. A center for offshore oil exploration and development.

  • The port authority website, address and public phone were not confirmed from a primary source in this review.
    Gulf Port Directory (no port-specific service listings yet)

    Listings come from official publications. Inclusion does not mean a terminal or shorebase is open to visiting vessels — confirm directly with the operator.

    Sources (1) · static reference

    “Source checked” means the document was reviewed; current channel conditions were not independently verified.